Epilogue - Yes
Crew
June
“Are you going to tell me what the plan is, now?” Carly asks from my en suite bathroom.
We had a movie marathon—Carly convinced me to watch all of Aliens with her—that led to her falling asleep halfway through the third movie.
I didn’t mind at all, especially because we already made plans to spend all of today together before the graduation ceremonies tomorrow, and the surprise I have planned is tonight.
“Nope. You’re just going to have to wait.” Besides, she loves a good surprise and I know for certain she will love this. Mainly because she’s been begging me to do this for a few weeks.
“How much longer?” Her voice is muffled now, likely because she’s brushing her teeth.
Before I can answer, the doorbell rings. A frown appears on my face. That’s not a part of my plans.
“Who’s that?” Carly pops her head out, toothbrush still sticking out of her mouth. “I didn’t know you invited someone.”
“I didn’t,” I mutter.
The doorbell rings again, and I think back to whether or not I ordered any packages that are supposed to be arriving today.
“You should answer it.” I hear a spitting noise from the bathroom. “Otherwise, they won’t stop pushing the button.”
I trudge towards the door, just as the doorbell rings a third time, and I clench my fist at the sound. If my landlord allowed it, I would change the sound to be something I won’t get tired of so easily, or just get rid of the doorbell in general.
Yeah, that sounds better already.
My hand turns the doorknob, and the person in front of me takes me by surprise.
“Dad?”
Sure enough, he stands in front of the entryway in a plain orange t-shirt and khaki shorts.
It’s not even the fact that my dad is wearing shorts that takes me by surprise—because he never does—it’s seeing him in general and part of me is slightly elated because I didn’t think I was going to see him again.
“Crew, can we talk?” Dad’s hands are in his pockets, rocking back and forth on the heels of his sneakers.
I nod before closing the door behind me, coming face to face with my father—but not before looking both ways to see if Mother is hiding in a bush or behind my neighbor’s vacuum.
She’s not.
“Crew,” my father begins. “I wanted to tell you this in person…”
Is he going to apologize again? He already did back at dinner, and I don’t think he needs to again—
“I’m leaving your mother.”
What the heck? Okay, I was expecting a lot of things, but not this.
“Huh?” I stare at my father slack-jawed, trying to comprehend the words that just left his mouth. “What did you just say?”
This is like the plot twist in Carly’s short film that she finally showed me last week. I wasn't expecting a divorce. Sure, my mother was messy, but she loved my father deeply. At least, that’s what I always thought. Maybe my views of love are askew when it comes to those two.
“I can’t tolerate her actions anymore,” my father states. “She wasn’t just controlling in your career, Crew. It was multiple aspects of both of our lives, and it wasn’t until dinner with you that I had the courage to leave.”
“Dad…”
He nods. “I want to start over with everything, Crew. All my relationships, and especially ours. That is, if you’re okay with it.”
Here I stand, with my father, who just dropped a bomb on me. That’s not even what gets to me. It’s the fact that I didn’t lose my father, after all this time. We may be moving in different directions in our lives, but he’s choosing to join me.
I nod. “I’d like that.”
The door behind me creaks open. I turn around to see Carly peeking her head out. “Is everything okay out here?”
“Just peachy,” I assure her, a soft smile stretching my lips before I turn back to my father.
My dad’s eyes move to behind me, before widening slightly. “I interrupted something. I’ll come back another day, and you can introduce me to your girlfriend when you’re ready.”
“Okay.”
Dad’s smile almost reaches his eyes before turning back around, towards the staircase, and down the flights of stairs.
Carly’s already stepped outside of the apartment, leaving the door ajar. “I see that went well.”
Yeah, I guess it did. Maybe things are starting to look up with my family.
Her hand fiddles with the doorknob mindlessly. “You didn’t correct him.”
My head swivels to face her. “Huh?”
“When he called me your girlfriend. I thought you were going to correct him.”
Considering that we haven’t put a label on anything, it’s no surprise to see Carly a little suspicious. I’m surprised she hasn’t figured it out already.
We have been going steady for about a month now, and I’ve been ready to take the next step in this relationship—and in our adult lives—with Carly for a while. The only thing I can hope for is if she’s ready, too.
“Well, there was no point,” I answer. “I was going to wait until tonight to ask you, but I guess better now than when you’re about to fall asleep on me again.”
Her jaw drops slightly. “I’m wide awake, Movie Star.”
“I can see that.” All joking aside, I reach for her hand that rests on the doorknob and enclose it into my own.
“Carly, I’ve been planning to ask you this for a while now.
I’ve told you this multiple times, how I want you in whatever way I can.
But I would really prefer to have you as my girlfriend. ”
She places her other hand over her heart and nods, not a single word passes through those lips of her that I so desperately want to kiss senseless.
“Looks like things really are looking up,” she murmurs before grasping the back of my neck and pulling me down for a kiss.
That’s how we stay for a moment. Outside my apartment door, wrapped in each other’s embrace. I could stay like this forever with her, but the door opens.
“Enough with the theatrics, you too!”
We pull apart to find Vinny standing by the door, Ali peeking her head out.
I swear, Carly and I can hardly get a moment alone these days.
Since she and I made up back in May, Ali acts like she’s watching her favorite rom-com whenever we’re around.
I can only imagine that it’s going to get worse after today. It’s not the worst thing in the world.
After coming to terms with my life and future, she’s just become a friend who will endlessly tease me about Carly. Or threaten bodily harm if I ever hurt Carly again—which will never happen again.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Carly’s best friend sings. “I’m just over here, watching you two lovebirds.”
“With the way they’re acting, they may as well be dolphins in their own pool at the aquarium,” Vinny jokes, earning himself a punch to the shoulder from me.
Dolphins…
I take Carly’s hand. “We should get going. Don’t want to be late.”
“Are you gonna tell me where we’re going?” She begs.
Shaking my head, I respond, “Trust me when I say that you’ll love it.”
Carly’s eyes light up, but she nods, holding in her excitement. “Let me grab my purse and we can go.” After she slips inside, both Vinny and Ali begin to stare me down. A silent warning to not fuck this up.
Like I needed a warning before.
My girlfriend—I still can’t believe I get to say that—slips back out. “Ready?”
I nod, holding my hand out to her as we walk towards the elevators and out my apartment complex. With Carly, I’m ready to go just about anywhere, as long as she’s in my corner, every step of the way.